All Our Days
by lmsinjd
Summary: A story of two sisters. Join Ruby, Yang and the rest of their family along their path towards Beacon Academy.
1. Promise

Despite the brightly shining sun, the air was cool, a light breeze rustling the yellowing leaves of the surrounding trees. The light blue of the cloudless sky complemented the vibrant greens of the well-maintained lawn. In a corner of the lawn bordering the house was a small collection of flowers, fenced off from its surroundings. Lilies, petunias, lavenders and roses flourished, their multicolored hues brought out by the friendly gaze of the afternoon sun. An unassuming, brown colored house overlooked the lawn and the forest, standing tall and firm at the border of the wilderness despite its friendly and welcoming exterior. The deep red curtains were drawn over most of the windows, except for the kitchen. A bag of cookies rested comfortably on the windowsill, occasionally disturbed from its position by small fingers bobbing in and out of vision.

"I can almost reach them, Yang! Just a little bit more!" A high-pitched voice chirped out from below the windowsill.

A couple of grumbles emanated from below, as well as the sound of shifting around. This time, a small hand appeared in the window, finally managing to grab hold of the cookies. Just as quickly, the hand disappeared, leaving the sunlight free to stream into the kitchen.

"Did you get it?" A blonde haired girl wearing pigtails was holding up another, smaller girl by the legs as she stood on top of the blonde's shoulders. The smaller, silver-eyed girl was cradling the bag of cookies in her arms, making cooing noises as she rocked the bag back and forth.

"Hello? Remnant to Ruby! I'm getting tired here," the blonde complained, her lilac eyes narrowing in impatience.

"Huh? Oh, right! Got it, Yang!" Ruby jumped off Yang's shoulders, the bag of cookies triumphantly raised above her head with all the strength the child could muster. Sighing with relief, the blonde sank to the ground as the dark-haired girl eagerly opened the bag, scarfing down a cookie. "Yay, teamwork! Now give me some of those," Yang said, snatching her own cookie from the bag. The two of them munched in contented silence, sitting on the kitchen floor. It had often been said that victory is sweet, but in that moment, Yang and Ruby learned that it was a smooth, velvety sweetness, with a hint of macadamia nut. So absorbed in their mutual appreciation of sugary treats, they failed to notice the car slowly pulling into the driveway, or the sound of the front door opening.

The kitchen door opened smoothly, revealing two very guilty looking girls with cookies halfway to their mouths. The figure in the doorway paused in front of them for a few seconds, surveying the scene before letting out a jovial chuckle. Ruffling the two girls' hair, he walked out of the kitchen. "I'll let your mother handle this one," he called out over his back, still laughing. A woman then walked through the door, sighing as she surveyed the current state of the kitchen. Two chairs and a stool lay overturned on the floor, clearly a product of the sisters' earlier attempts to reach the bag of cookies. Crumbs littered the floor, the same kind that covered the corners of Yang's mouth and most of Ruby's face. A tablecloth that would normally have been placed over the dining table was tied around Ruby's neck, billowing out onto the floor and making her look utterly ridiculous. "You're cleaning up the mess, honey," the woman yelled back up the stairs.

An air of warmth tended to surround Summer Rose. Her dark red waist-length hair faded to a lighter shade of red towards the tips from continued exposure to the sun. A black cape hung all the way to her ankles, partially obscuring a gray and red combat skirt. Completing her Huntress attire was a pair of battle-worn brown boots that somehow managed to look fashionable, despite all the wear and tear. Sitting Ruby and Yang down in front of her, she asked gently, "What did I tell you about the cookies?"

"You said not to eat them without permission," mumbled Yang. "But dad always gives them to us anyway, so it's fine, right?" Ruby stared at her mother hopefully, only eliciting a roll of the eyes.

"Your father could never say no to you two, even if it was for your own good. How many cookies did you eat?" Receiving only more guilty looks from her two daughters, she looked into the bag, exasperated but not surprised to find the bag half empty already. "A week's worth of cookies, by the looks of it. And that's how long you two will be going without cookies for." Ignoring Ruby's pleas for mercy and Yang's outraged expression, she continued. "Eating this much sugar isn't healthy, and I don't want either of you falling sick before Ruby's first day of school."

"You heard your mother! Terrible things will happen if you even touch that bag!" A deep voice called from the hallway. "By the way, where did you put the broom?"

Summer sighed. "Downstairs, in the closet." She looked at the two girls. "Now be good and help your father clean up this mess." Ruby and Yang watched their mother leave, their eyes following her as she slid out of view. Simultaneously, they glanced at each other, at the cookie bag, and back at the door again.

"How bad could it be?" Ruby asked Yang, barely able to hold herself back.

"I don't really want to find out..." mumbled Yang. "Well anyway, it won't matter if they don't see us taking another, right?"

Sharing a final glance, the two both slowly extended a hand towards the bag of cookies, cautiously glancing around before reaching into the bag.

"_BANG!"_

Yang jumped as Ruby squeaked in terror, grabbing onto Yang's leg and refusing to let go. A hearty laugh boomed out from the doorway as their father appeared in the doorway, holding a broom and a dustpan. "Dad!" Yang yelled, a sulky expression finding its way onto her face. "That's not funny!"

"Strange, from my perspective it was hilarious! Relax Ruby, it's just me," he said, cheerfully picking up the chairs on the floor and returning them to their normal positions. "Trust me, when you grow up, you'll learn to appreciate the comedic genius of your father! I'm sure one day a talented young girl like yourself will one day grow to develop a refined sense of humor such as my own!"

Yang stuck out her tongue. _There's no way I'll ever grow up to be as lame as Dad, _she thought._I'll be super funny and everyone will laugh at my jokes. _"Come on, Ruby, get up. It's just Dad." She patted Ruby's back, smiling as her sister continued to latch onto her leg.

"You know, if you two don't eat any cookies for the next week, your mother is going to bake her own cookies for us," their father casually mentioned, sweeping up the crumbs. He grinned as Ruby and Yang both looked up with looks of sudden anticipation. "I'm counting on you two to hold out until next week, or I won't get any either! Don't let me down!"

Yang and Ruby furiously nodded. "Now run along, you two, and get cleaned up. Ruby, take that tablecloth off. White's not really your color." Ruby pouted, but let her father remove the piece of fabric.

"Don't make that face. Have you forgotten what the cookies were for? We're going on a picnic!"

* * *

While it was true that Ruby and Yang loved to spent time outdoors and eat picnic food, it was story time that they always looked forward to. Often, when going on camping expeditions, their mother surprised them with all kinds of stories, ancient legends and historical accounts alike, accumulated through years of experience as a huntress. It was with quiet anticipation that the two girls lay down next to their mother, admiring the night sky.

"While Remnant is a land of many tales, none can tell a story better than the night sky. That constellation is Masamune, the mythical blade that split the earth. According to legend, the swordsman Ieyasu wielded this weapon before the existence of the Kingdoms. All the land in the world was connected at this point. Humanity had always fled from the Grimm, choosing to adopt a nomadic lifestyle instead of fighting hopeless battles. Ieyasu instead chose to fight the Grimm, believing that with help, he could hold them off long enough for people to settle down and build a city. Along with a devoted group of dust-wielders and warriors, they protected a small area around what is now Vale for many months. They were eventually defeated, but Ieyasu plunged his sword into the ground, crying out to the sky. The sword split the land in four as he was struck down. Nevertheless, mountains and seas rose to block out the Grimm, creating four safe havens for humanity to flourish."

Ruby and Yang listened with rapt attention as their mother traced out the constellation with a finger. It was dark now, the black night sky framing the stars in a tapestry of sparkling lights. As if responding to the story, a star near the tip of the blade twinkled.

"Below that, you can see Trailblazer. Even today, Mistral remains the most mountainous of the four kingdoms. The impassable terrain made it difficult for the Grimm to travel efficiently, often forcing them into narrow corridors more easily defensible by humans. Unfortunately, terrain could also work against us, and a group of Mistralians were trapped by Grimm against Mount Olympus. It was not a warrior that saved them, but a farmer by the name of Xenophon. As his trapped companions were ready to give up, cornered by the neverending horde of monsters, he dug his shovel into the ground. Each scoop of dirt he threw over his shoulder was larger and larger. With his final heave, he lifted the entire mountain, sending it over their heads and crashing down on the pursuing Grimm. They named the shovel Trailblazer, and it is said that is the reason the mountain is flat-topped—because the mountain landed upside down."

"What about that one over there, the one that looks like a potato?" Ruby gestured vaguely into a small area of the sky. "That's not a potato, that's an orange!" Yang insisted.

Their mother smiled, gently correcting them. "That is Kurg's apple, actually. It's one of the more amusing legends of Remnant. Kurg was a orphan taken in by a family of farmers. He worked in the orchards, growing apple trees for his family, and picked the fruits for himself to enjoy and his family to sell. The other children in the village refused to talk to him, but he didn't mind, preferring the company of the trees and the land. One day, a Deathstalker attacked the village, only to be turned away singlehandedly by Kurg himself. He burst into flame and charged at the monster to protect his beloved orchard, scaring it away. The village chief offered an opportunity to become a warrior, but all Kurg wanted to do was farm and protect his orchard."

"Was the fire his semblance?" asked Ruby.

"No, actually. They say the child once accidentally ate a Fire Dust crystal, thinking it was an apple. And don't try that again, Ruby. These are just stories—I keep those away from you for good reason."

Yang scrunched up her face in confusion. "Hey, mom. How come there's a story behind every constellation? Are they real? Did these stories actually happen?"

"Probably not," Summer said, with a smile on her face. "But we learned something about every one of the characters in these legends. We learned about their heroism, determination, and selflessness. And all of those things are real."

The family continued to lie on the grass, staring up at the night sky in contented silence. Suddenly, a loud crunching sound cut into the tranquil sounds of nature. Ruby and Yang turned around to see their father snacking on a bag of chips, the picnic basket completely empty. "Hey, don't look at me like that! I didn't want to have to carry so much stuff back home!"

* * *

"My legs are tired! Carry me!"

As the family returned back home, Ruby extended her arms out to Yang, looking at her imploringly. Yang rolled her eyes, but picked up her little sister, carrying her up a flight of stairs to the room that they shared. The room was brightly decorated with warm colors, featuring shades of red and yellow, Ruby and Yang's favorite colors. Yang laid Ruby down on her red and black blanket, handing her little sister her pajamas, and Ruby reluctantly let go of Yang's neck as she changed.

"Rest up, Ruby. Tomorrow's the big day! Aren't you excited? You get to learn all the normal, boring things your sister has been doing for the past two years!" Yang's voice dripped with sarcasm as she sat down on her own bed, legs dangling off the edge.

"That part doesn't sound fun." Ruby thought for a second, before smiling at Yang. "I'm still looking forward to tomorrow, though!"

"Why?" Yang asked, genuinely curious. "What could be so fun about being trapped in a room and forced to listen to someone?"

"Well, I get to go to school with you!" Ruby happily exclaimed. Yang laughed at her sister's ability to remain enthusiastic about everything. "Ruby, I'm two grades above you. I won't be in the same class as you."

Ruby visibly deflated. "Oh. So will I get to see you at school?"

"Well, we'll be going there together. And you can see me at lunch time, too. Don't make that face, Ruby," Yang said as Ruby pouted. "You're going to make plenty of friends. Everyone there is going to be new as well!"

"I guess you're right, Yang." Ruby snuggled into her blanket, sounding unconvinced. She rolled over onto her side as Yang changed into her own bedclothes. Seeing this, Yang walked over to Ruby and gave her a hug.

"Ruby, you don't have to worry. If anything happens at school, all you have to do is tell me, and I'll take care of it. I can help you if you ever have trouble with schoolwork, and if anyone is mean to you, I'll make sure they stop." Letting Ruby go, she put a hand on her shoulder. "No matter what happens, I'll always be your big sister. Even when I'm not there, I'll always be looking out for you."

Turning to face Yang, her young face clouded with worry, Ruby asked uncertainly, "Promise?"

With a winning grin, Yang replied, "Promise."

* * *

**A/N:** I'm sure all of you have heard the RWBY soundtrack by now. If you haven't, you're missing out. I loved all of it, but after listening to "All Our Days", I wondered how Ruby and Yang grew up together, and why they ended up at Beacon. Hence this fanfic! I want to focus on Ruby and Yang's most important experiences, so I probably won't write about the two girls getting bored out of their skulls by school. I'm going to try to set the scene with this chapter and the next, but I'm not really sure if I'm doing it in a way that's entertaining. If you have any thoughts or comments, please leave a review! Thanks for reading!


	2. Stories

"Can you tell me a story?" Ruby would ask Yang, looking up with large silver eyes wide in excitement. Yang would smile at her, reaching towards the bookshelf for a book. She would throw Ruby's blanket around the two of them as Ruby hopped onto her lap. Bringing her arms around her little sister, she would open the book over Ruby's lap and together, they would delve into the novel. Yang would read aloud as Ruby made herself comfortable in Yang's lap, allowing her sister's gentle narration to wash over her as she glued her eyes to the text, following along. Eventually, between the warmth of the blanket and Yang's comforting embrace, Ruby would start to get drowsy. Sensing this, Yang would close the book, leaving behind a bookmark, and place it to one side. Picking up the smaller girl, she would place Ruby on her bed, bringing the blanket off her shoulders and tucking Ruby in. "Good night, Ruby," she would whisper, as silver eyes peacefully closed.

This was how the sisters spent their time most nights, bonding over their shared appreciation of books. Summer had noticed this, keeping her daughters' bookshelf stocked with fresh reading material. Together, the two sisters immersed themselves in countless alternate universes, enjoying tales of action and adventure.

"Hey, Yang, did you hear me?"

Initially staring out of the window blankly, Yang was jolted out of her reverie by Ruby's voice. It was a quiet Friday night. Her father was outside, mowing the lawn, while her mother had yet to come home. Nevertheless, the flower patch in the corner of the garden flourished under Summer's careful nurturing. She always had a green thumb, something that could not be said of her husband.

Growls of exasperation made their way through the sisters' window, and Yang chuckled as she surveyed the unevenly mowed lawn, watching their father's neverending war against his large, green and sporadically patchy adversary. "Sorry, I was distracted," Yang admitted. "Dad sure isn't helping, either."

"I was just wondering when mom gets back today. She's been really busy with her missions lately," Ruby mused, sitting on her bed while playing with a lock of hair absently.

"Well, think about it this way, sis. Mom's a huntress, right? That means she's like one of those superheroes in those comic books. If she's busy, that means she's out there helping people and saving the world with super cool powers! Isn't that awesome?"

Ruby tilted her head, contemplating Yang's explanation. "Well, Dad teaches at Signal, right? Does that mean that he's the old and ancient master of Signal Dojo, training all sorts of apprentice superheroes?"

The sisters shared a laugh at their father's expense. "Well, at least this means you get to spend more time with your favorite person, right?" Yang grinned, a thumb pointed confidently at herself.

As Ruby scoffed and stuck her tongue out in reply, Yang silently agreed with Ruby. It was their mother that had kindled their interest in books by reading stories to the sisters at night. She had been getting busier and busier as of late, however, as her reputation as a huntress grew, and she never had time to read to them anymore. Yang missed the days where she could lie in bed, falling asleep to the sound of her mother's soothing voice, but she had grown to love reading on her own.

"Ruby, I'm hurt!" Yang dramatically put a hand to her heart. "I thought I was important to you! You traitor!"

"Says the responsible sister that convinced me to use ice Dust on a carton of milk to make ice cream! You did that just because you wanted to get me in trouble!"

"Hey, I said I was sorry. I even snuck cookies to you for a week when Mom was still mad at you! Besides, you have to admit, that was pretty funny. You should have seen the look on your face!" Yang chortled.

"All you're good for is getting me into trouble and clogging up the drain with your stupid hair!" Ruby blurted out in irritation.

Ruby immediately knew she had crossed a line as the dramatic expression on Yang's turned into an irritated scowl, touching her hair self-consciously. Before she could say anything else, an evil grin slowly made its way onto Yang's face. Ruby had always taken stories a little too seriously, and it couldn't hurt to take advantage of her overactive imagination, if only for a little while.

Ruby nervously laughed, shrinking away as Yang slowly advanced. "Eh heh heh, what I meant to say was, uh, it clogs up the drain very beautifully? Sis? No hard feelings, eh?"

The panicked expression on Ruby's face did nothing to dissuade Yang. "Remember that story I read to you, the one about the face-eating ghosts? I know I said they didn't really exist, but what if I was kidding? I mean, seeing as I'm not your favorite person, I guess you don't need anyone to keep them from coming out from below your bed, right?" Yang wondered to herself.

Ruby looked around nervously as Yang placed a finger on her chin, pretending to be deep in thought. "Remember when Mom stopped reading stories to us, and a certain little girl came to her big sis, complaining about weird noises at night? I wonder. What kind of terrible creature could possibly make those noises?"

"I don't believe you, Yang! Y-You told me they didn't exist! I-I'm not scared!" Ruby stammered out, sounding completely unconvincing.

Yang continued on blithely, absolutely ignoring Ruby's increasing agitation. "It's no problem right? So long as I keep you safe, you'll have no problem falling asleep. Oh, hold on a second. I guess I'm not really that important to you, am I? No, Ruby's a big girl. She can go to sleep all by herself, right?" Yang grinned, glancing at Ruby.

Ruby met Yang's gaze, silver eyes meeting lilac. Yang gazed casually back, a smirk on her face. The staring competition continued for several seconds. At last, Ruby's lower lip began to wobble, only causing Yang's smirk to widen.

Even over the din of the uncooperative lawnmower, Ruby's wail of anguish could be heard outside the house, followed by Yang's laughter. The noise caught the attention of the man struggling with the lawnmower outside, who tapped at the cover of the machine with trepidation. "That's a funny noise for this thing to make. Hope it doesn't give out on me again."

* * *

Morning turned to night as the sun made its way lazily across the sky to be replaced by the moon and the stars. The sound of the lawnmower had been replaced by the chirping of crickets, and still Summer had not returned. Yang turned over in her bed for the second time that night, only to find herself face-to-face with her little sister.

"I can't sleep, Yang." Ruby whispered, looking miserable.

"Mom sent us a message from her scroll, lil' sis. She's going to be back by tomorrow. Stop worrying, Ruby, she'll be fine." Yang propped herself up on an elbow, squinting to see her sister in the darkness.

"How can you be so calm, Yang? You know how dangerous they can be! You were the one who told me about how they sneak up on unsuspecting prey, and how no one is safe!" Ruby wailed, clutching at Yang's arm.

"Ruby, the Grimm aren't exactly known for their subtlety. What are you talking about?"

"Not the Grimm, the face-eating ghosts!"

Yang rubbed the bridge of her nose in amused exasperation. "I already told you I was kidding! I had no idea you would take it so seriously, I just made those up to mess with you for a bit!"

Ruby sniffed. "I can't sleep now. The ghosts are gonna get Mom and she's going to come back without a face and she's—"

Yang sighed. Putting a finger over Ruby's lips, she threw off her blankets, flicking on the lights and picking a book off the bookshelf. She sat Ruby down on her own bed as she looked into her sister's eyes. "Your imagination is being overactive again. How about we occupy it with something else?"

Plopping herself down besides Ruby, she handed her sister the novel with a raised eyebrow. "You're gonna tell me a story?" Ruby asked.

Yang smiled, let Ruby climb into her lap, and pulled the blanket around the two of them.

* * *

"Oh, hey Yang! Mom's back!"

Ruby's excited squeal roused Yang from her slumber. Throwing off the covers, Yang rushed down to join her sister in the living room, where their mother was standing. Despite appearing exhausted, she still had a smile to spare for the two sisters, hugging both Ruby and Yang with surprising strength. "Never been happier to be back," she announced, falling into a couch.

"How did the mission go?" Taiyang glanced at his wife, concern for his wife written on his face. Summer shrugged, a neutral expression on her face. "Tell you about it later, honey. Ruby, Yang, I know you're excited to see me, but I'm a little tired right now. We can talk later, maybe over lunch, okay?"

Ruby nodded, smiling at her mother before skipping off. Yang was about to follow her little sister, but her curiosity finally got the better of her. Turning to face her mother, she asked, "So how did your mission go? Are you okay?"

"I'm fine, Yang. I don't really feel like talking about it right now—I'm a little tired." Summer reached over to pat Yang on the back. "We can talk more about it some other time."

Yang hesitated, but she knew she would never find the opportunity to ask tomorrow. "I know this is a bad time to ask, but something's been bothering me a lot lately. How come you never talk about your missions around me and Ruby?"

Summer said nothing, instead choosing to glance at her husband. A wordless agreement was reached, and Taiyang quietly exited the room, leaving Yang alone with her mother in the room. Undeterred, Yang continued on. "You're a Huntress, right? A defender of the people. You fight the creatures born from darkness, the Grimm." Her mother nodded slightly, the only indication that she had heard Yang.

"Without people like you, nobody is safe. We owe our safety to Hunters and Huntresses. They're the superheroes of Remnant, using their powers to fight the creatures of evil. What I don't understand is why you never tell us anything about what you do. All you've ever told us is that you're a Huntress, and you occasionally travel around the Kingdom on missions. I was hoping you could tell me some of what happened, so I have a story to tell Ruby at night." Yang finished hopefully.

Summer patted the space next to her on the couch, letting Yang take a seat next to her. After a long pause for consideration, Summer replied with a question. "Have you ever wondered where superheroes get their strength from?"

Yang furrowed her eyebrows in confusion at the unexpected response, but before she could think of a reply, her mother continued, a thoughtful expression on her face. "Even the greatest of superheroes have limits to their strength, Yang, and Hunters and Huntresses are far from being superheroes. Fighting the Grimm is a hard and thankless task, and it tires me more than you could possibly imagine. Did you know that negative emotions cause the Grimm to congregate? Even thinking about the suffering that these creatures bring makes them stronger. That's why I choose not to think, or talk, about the Grimm." Summer then smiled, brushing a stray lock of Yang's hair aside affectionately. "Instead of speaking about the Grimm, I choose to spend time with those who bring me strength. The heroes you read about in books fight because they have something to fight for, Yang. Knowing that you and Ruby are here makes me stronger than you could imagine."

Yang rubbed the back of her neck apologetically. "Sorry, Mom, I just wanted to know..."

"You have nothing to be sorry for. I'm sorry I can't give you the story you wanted. If it wasn't for you two, I don't know if I could find the strength to fight the Grimm, so thank you, Yang." Summer kissed Yang on the top of her head, then cast a critical glance her hair. "Now hurry up and take a shower. I can tell you haven't been awake longer than ten minutes."

* * *

A high pitched whirring noise, constant in pitch and intensity, emanated from the workbench at one end of the room. The room was dimly lit, the only active source of light being a table lamp situated on the workbench. Shifting subtly, a silhouette of a woman bent over in concentration was cast on the opposite side of the room. The tip of the engraver glinted in the artificial light, dancing across the surface of the throwing knife. An emblem of some sort had taken form in the center of the blade, a bird with its wings stretched wide in flight.

The door to the basement of the house creaked open, causing light to spill into the darkened room. Taiyang Xiao Long followed the stairs downwards, allowing the door to shut behind him. Joining his wife at the workbench, he watched in silence as his wife put the finishing touches on the engraving. Summer removed the device from the surface of the metal, turning it off and allowing the whirring noise to taper off into nothingness. The couple remained respectfully silent for a minute, admiring Summer's handiwork. Taiyang looked into Summer's eyes, silently asking a question, and received a grimace and a shake of the head.

"Winchester, was it?" Taiyang asked, recognizing the emblem. Summer nodded, closing her eyes.

"It was meant to be a small herd of Grimm. We were ambushed and underprepared. To be honest, I'm surprised that many of us made it out." Summer stated bluntly, too drained to elaborate. Continuing grimly, she murmured, "He leaves behind his wife and a young son. I suppose Jared will have to inform his family and return his weapons, seeing as he is the last member of Winchester's team. Jared is an amazing healer, but even he has his limits." She sighed. "He tried his hardest, but I don't think that will be enough for his family."

Taiyang shook his head. "I can't even begin to imagine how I would break the news to them. The poor faunus must be devastated. The man's had to deal with too much for far too little reward. From being the first faunus student to attend Beacon to losing his entire team to the Grimm, he's not travelled an easy road."

They lapsed into silence again, as Summer polished the blade with a cloth. "Some day, I'm going to have to tell Ruby and Yang that not every story has a happy ending," Summer suddenly remarked. "I don't want to have to do that, though. The reason I wanted to become a Huntress was to make my own happy ending by protecting the people, making sure they never felt threatened by the Grimm. I now realize that was naïve, but the stubborn, idealistic part of me doesn't want to admit that, either to the girls or to myself." Summer laughed at her own words, a sound full of self-deprecation. She stood up from the workbench, scrutinizing the polished knife critically. Even in the dim light, it was evident that the blade was razor-sharp. Walking over to a large display case that took up the entirety of a wall, she examined its contents. Countless throwing knives lay closely packed, each identical in make but bearing a different engraving. Summer placed the newly engraved knife in the case to join the others, closing her eyes as she did so.

"They'll continue fighting with us, if not in the flesh." Summer stated, turning to leave the room. Taiyang said nothing, but turned off the workbench light, following his wife up the stairs and plunging the room back into darkness.


End file.
